Weekly news wrap-up

Friday January 18

Prime Minister John Key's backing of Education Minister Hekia Parata adds insult to injury for students, teachers and parents, the Green Party says. Mr Key told reporters in Christchurch on Thursday Ms Parata wouldn't lose her job in an upcoming cabinet reshuffle, despite a horror year in 2012 and calls from Labour and the Greens for her to be removed from the portfolio. Ms Parata presided over a backdown on increasing average class sizes, the closure of a number of Christchurch schools, and the High Court decision to declare the closure of a special needs school in Nelson illegal. Her education secretary Lesley Longstone also resigned over their strained relationship.